2013 Viñedos de Páganos El Puntido Rioja Gran Reserva DOCa

The 2013 El Puntido Gran Reserva started very shy and closed; it took time to open up to slowly unfurl the more tertiary notes, despite its youth. It reveals great complexity and nuance. It's a triumph over the adverse conditions of a challenging year like 2013, a year with a lot of rain and a cold summer with lots of cloudy days when people thought the grapes were not going to ripen. It has a classical nose with notes of cherries in liqueur, cigar ash, decayed leaves and truffles with the spiciness from the 28 months in new French oak barrels and a lactic touch. The palate is polished, sleek and elegant. In 2018, they changed the fermentation vessels from stainless steel to concrete, but we'll have to wait a few years to see that... 5,000 bottles produced. It has been in bottle since March 2016. It should be long lived and make old bones.

The 2013 Gran Reserva El Puntido comes from a 1976 vineyard in Páganos, Laguardia. Elegantly evolved, it offers dried cherry, integrated aging notes, soft spices and a trace of menthol floating over delicate tertiary aromas. On the palate, fine-grained and active tannins create a framework for the fruit and juiciness to spread over, with firm grip and sustained freshness. This speaks clearly of its home, combining purity, structure and identity. Long-lasting and supple, it sets a compelling benchmark for Rioja’s aging potential.